DK – Ch 218

The mutated skeleton was still roaring in excitement as it has eaten the other three skeletons. At the same time the rustling sounds came of the surrounding grass. A giant rat with sharp hair similar to hedgehog’s jumped out of the grass. It’s eyes were dark red and there was bloodthirsty luster in them. It’s aim was the fluttering mutated skeleton.

“Roar.” The mutated skeleton noted the giant rat’s attack on time and caught it using its hands. It immediately seized it and bit the giant rat’s head. The giant rat issued a painful sharp call and violently struggled. But it couldn’t withstand the bite of the mutated skeleton. Blood oozed out from its head and it stopped moving.

Dudian was startled and scared as he saw the scene.: “According to the atlas it is a level 8 rat. Although the rats rarely have a chance to evolve and power up but it was one of those ones…” For monsters to mutate and evolve they needed a virus or the worms that could make them move up the ladder. This way they would inherit new powers and abilities while keep the pre-mutation habits.

An ordinary ‘bone rat’ wasn’t much of a hurdle for hunters. A hunter would disdain attacking an undead not to mention a ‘bone rat’. However this ‘bone rats’ were the predecessors of this giant rat. It was extremely sensitive to the smell of blood and had night vision ability. Additionally it had dynamic vision. In short this giant rat was the natural nemesis of the hunters. It was described in the atlas that if a senior hunter was caught unprepared then the probability of them to survive giant rat’s attack was less than one percent.

“The giant rat wasn’t afraid of the mutated skeleton so it means it doesn’t see it as its natural enemy. If it is so then the mutated skeleton that is in front of me right now isn’t its final phase, is it?” Dudian was thinking about the details. In the three years of the prison life he had learned to find information from subtle hints and clues. Most would be immersed in the bloody picture in front of them but he couldn’t help me think about different things.

In reality there wasn’t much of a difference between monsters and beasts. The first was the species that were original in creation. The second were the ones that had sprouted up after being affected by virus and radiation. They were more powerful and ferocious than the original. However they would still stick to their natural hunting habits. So they would be regional and they would have natural enemies.

“According to the atlas the natural enemies of the giant rats are ‘stone snakes’. Their bodies would be colorless, tasteless and scales would be similar to a rock. Stone snakes would hunt like crocodiles. They would patiently wait for the giant rat to come. To do so they would open up their tail scales and emit bloody odor to tempt the prey. They are one of the most dangerous sneak attacking beasts. An adult stone snake would be level twenty-four to twenty-five… ”

If there were giant rats over here then it was impossible for stone snake to appear as they would do their best to avoid them.

The mutated skeleton crushed giant rats body and tore its skin. It bit and began to drink its blood.

Dudian was startled. Does a skeleton have a digestive ability? An ordinary undead never had such a system. You could tore apart ordinary undead’s stomach and all of its internal organs would fall but it would still be able to act. Although this variant skeleton’s body was intact but did it mean that it had acquired new abilities? Could be able to absorb and digest the other beings… But then it meant that it was becoming similar to a living creature!

Dudian heard the sounds from distance. He turned to see an almost three meter high monster similar to a hound running at the variant skeleton. Its forelimbs were protruding out of its huge neck. It had slightly cracked mouth with full of large fangs.

Dudian had never seen such a monster in the atlas. Actually, the atlas he had read was three years ago before the jail time. Every month a new version of the atlas would be publish so even if there was information about this monster he hadn’t read the latest version so he wasn’t aware of details.

A python with dark gold colored scales which was about seven or eight meters long quickly swim behind this hound like monster.

“Arghh!” variant skeleton roared and rushed at three meter tall hound like beast. It waved its long arms that had scythes.

The hound roared in anger as it tried to bit the variant skeleton.

Variant skeleton moved sideways and avoided the hounds bite. It turned to attack the hound again.

There was a storm boiling in Dudian’s mind.: “It knows that is should avoid the danger! Does it have consciousness?”

Dudian thought of the first arrow that he had used to shot the variant skeleton. The arrow had hit its face but it had used its hand to unplug it! An ordinary undead wouldn’t be aware of the pain! It wouldn’t bother to take it out at all!

“The undeads are evolving…The variant skeleton has consciousness…” Dudian’s body slightly trembled. There was fear in his heart. No one would understand what kind of a danger it meant! At some point if it could think like a human being then there was unlimited potential for the undeads!

He recovered from his daze when the variant skeleton injured the hound and it fell of. However its other arm was bitten and the python wasn’t affected at all.

It was about the kill the hound when the python’s attack successful. It bit onto variant skeleton’s arm, its fangs pierces and venom infiltrated the variant skeleton’s system.

Variant skeleton roared as its arm was broken. It struggled to get away from python’s grasp while its arm was fractured.

The python began wriggle and wind up variant skeleton’s body. It was going to take advantage of variant skeleton’s weakness.

Dudian knew that he had got an amazing opportunity. He crawled and reached 200 meters distance and bent over the grass. He took out one of the silver arrow’s and aimed. The next moment he released the string and arrow was shot.

The arrow shot and pierced python’s neck. His purpose was not to kill it but seriously injure. The variant skeleton would run amok without the python containing it.

Dudian took out the second arrow and aimed at variant skeleton head. Puff! The arrow pierced its mouth and tore its face.

Variant skeleton’s body lost the balance because of the arrow and fell down. The python’s began to loosen its grip because of the pain.

Dudian took the third arrow and was about to kill the python. He was planning to kill it then fight the weakened variant skeleton. However, the skeleton roared loudly and his plan was interrupted. As the variant skeleton after issuing the loud roar, bowed its head and opened its mouth to bite the python’s head.

Python twisted its body in pain and tried to tighten its grasp but it wasn’t able to break out from variant skeleton’s mouth. Python struggled and swung its head but nothing changed.

Moreover, python’s mouth loosened and the variant skeleton’s arm quickly clung to its head. It began to bite the python with more force.

Python crazily twisted its body which led the variant skeleton’s body roll on the ground. Dudian didn’t know it was the affect of mercury or variant skeleton’s bite but the python appeared to weaken. After few moments it gradually stopped twisting and its grasp over the variant skeleton’s body loosened.

Variant skeleton’s was still biting down the python’s neck.

Dudian’s face changed and he made another shot.

Puff! The arrow shot onto skeleton’s face but didn’t hit its eye. Two hundred meters was good for him but the probability of hitting skeleton’s small eyes was very low.

As the arrows hit its face the skeleton raised its head. It’s scarlet red eyes locked onto Dudian’s body. It roared in anger. The next moment small bump began to pierce out of its forehead. A bone horn about half of a finger long protruded out of its head.

Dudian didn’t expect that the variant skeleton would go through mutation once again. Its body was rapidly changing to a form which Dudian had never seen or heard of.

He aimed and made the third shot.

The horn was piercing out when the arrow shot onto its throat.

Dudian knew that it was a critical time and there was no meaning to save arrows as the future may never come. He caught the fourth arrow and made the shot.